Crash hurts driver; dog survives scare

A rollover crash between Novato and Marinwood sent the driver to the hospital and his dog running up the freeway into rush-hour traffic Thursday.

The crash occurred shortly after 5 p.m. on southbound Highway 101 just south of Alameda del Prado. Police said a Dodge Dakota pickup veered across all lanes of traffic, struck a Geo Metro and overturned.

The dog, an adult female black Labrador, was thrown from the truck and started running north against traffic. A witness stopped and grabbed the dog just north of Alameda del Prado and held on to her until authorities arrived, said Officer Amanda Cannon of the Marin Humane Society.

The driver of the Dodge, an El Cerrito resident, was taken to Marin General Hospital for treatment of minor injuries, a Novato fire spokesman said.

The driver of the Metro, which ended up facing the wrong way in traffic, was not injured.

The dog was being held at the Humane Society shelter in Novato pending the owner's release from the hospital.

"She was pretty freaked out, but once we got her to the shelter, she was feeling better and started eating cookies," Cannon said.

Two lanes of southbound Highway 101 were closed until nearly 6 p.m. because of the crash, creating a long traffic jam. The cause of the crash was under investigation, but a California Highway Patrol spokesman said intoxication is not suspected as a factor.